New Zealand Elite Triathlete Tony Dodds is helping to attract leading international triathletes to Wanaka for the Contact Tri Series on Friday 20th January. 

“Cmon guys” says Dodds “I’m always bragging about it, now’s your chance to see first-hand what’s so great about Wanaka. Beat me on my home turf and win not only cash, but the adventure tourism experience of a lifetime, including helicopter sight-seeing, hunting and watersports”. 

Local businesses, a very generous anonymous fan and Tony’s sponsors have all contributed towards the prize. Local support has been helped by Lake Wanaka Tourism who got on board and sent a memo about the ‘Doddsy International’ to dozens of local businesses. 

So far Dodds has managed to triple the prize money to $6,000 and is arranging some adventurous extra-curricular activities for elite athletes that respond to the challenge. 

“On the international triathlon circuit prize money is the biggest draw-card for a professional athlete. I’m gambling that a few of my international rivals will take the bait, $6k will guarantee a few, but $10k would dig up a whole lot!” says Dodds.

And his hard work hasn’t gone unnoticed, big names registered so far include:

Kris Gemmell – Olympian, winner of multiple world cups and fellow NZ elite squad member.

Laurent Vidal - winner of last year’s race, and number 7 in the world and olympian

Ryan Sissons – fellow NZ elite squad member from Auckland

Simon Whitfield - Canada, gold medal Sydney Olympics, Bronze medal Athens Olympics

Adding further incentive for sponsors to part with their money, should Tony win, he has advised that all the additional prize money will be donated to Cystic Fibrosis research.

Forty hours later and my travels from Australia to Europe are complete. The trip is always draining and takes a toll on you especially with a missed connection flight to add some more time at airports … but that’s travelling! When I arrived in Spain at the hotel at which we will base ourselves, it actually had a sense of 'home' to it.

I think that this helps me to train to my full potential without worrying about the little things when you are on the road and living out of a suitcase for long periods.

With the weather currently more like Wollongong’s winter, I am currently in Vitoria, Spain preparing for my first race this weekend in the ITU Sprint European Cup in Cremona, Italy. It will be my first ITU race in ten months and I am really excited about the race and to see how my training and the improvements that I have been working on over the last few weeks/months are progressing. A big thank you to everyone that has been involved in getting me back to racing again. Your support has been tremendous and greatly appreciated.

Also, in other news ... I am currently in the process of setting up a website for all my news, updates, photos etc in relation to triathlon.

More details later!